Volume 1, Issue 6: July 30, 2020
R.I.S.E.* Up Newsletter
*R einforcing I nclusion through S kill-building and E ducation
Image of Judy Heumann with quote - We are not the problem - we are not the ones that need to change.
Image reading ADA 30 - Americans with Disabilities Act - 1990-2020
The
Americans with Disabilities Act
this week.

On July 26th, 1990 President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities. This landmark legislation has helped open doors for every person with a disability.

Additionally, the ADA has broadened opportunities for Americans with disabilities by prohibiting discrimination, reducing barriers, changing perceptions and increasing full participation in all aspects of life including working, living, and learning.

John Carroll University would like to commemorate this key moment in history and recognize the progress made since 1990. We must remain committed to diversity, equity and inclusion as it relates to persons with disabilities. We must continue to find new and better ways for every individual with a disability to participate fully and meaningfully in our campus life and in society. Together, as a campus community, we will continue to strive toward inclusion and accessibility. 

For more information go to  https://www.adaanniversary.org   or  https://jcu.edu/accessibility .

-- Allison West Kaskey, Director of Student Accessibility Services
Division Events and Announcements:
Image - cover of the book The Person You Mean to Be - How Good People Fight Bias - by Dolly Chugh
Summer Community Book Read Discussion
The Summer Community Book read is now in its second week. Are you joining us late and need a refresher on the discussion and reflection topics from last week? Click the link below to catch up:
Webinar: Teaching Inclusively in Our Changing Reality
In April 2020, Dr. Green presented a webinar for faculty and staff entitled "Teaching Inclusively in Our Changing Reality." This webinar addresses issues of equity and inclusion posed by the pandemic, accessibility concerns, identity consciousness, and more. A recording of this webinar is available upon request. Department-specific presentations of this material can also be arranged by contacting diversity@jcu.edu .
Clip from Teaching Inclusively webinar - April 2020
image of a cup of coffee with a heart drawn in the foam
Join us for Coffee!
Every Wednesday morning from 9:30-10:15 am, The DEI Division hosts a virtual "Coffee with Colleagues" chat. Please join us! All faculty, staff and graduate assistants are welcome.
Social Justice Movie Series
Tonight is the last night of the July Social Justice Movie Series sponsored by the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion. Tonight's film is Blindspotting.

For information and watch party link for tonight's film, click below to register or follow CSDI on Instagram:  @jcucsdi.
image of promotional flyer for July 30 film showing of the movie Blindspotting
R.I.S.E. Higher: Featured Article of the Week
A Disability Rights Consultant and Social Worker Explains How to Check Your Ableism Every Day
Samantha Brodksy, PopSugar, July 27, 2020

... There are many ways you can check your own ableism, which is intentional or unintentional discrimination against those with a disability and in favor of able-bodied people. Start with the below steps.

Check your language.  "There are a lot of words that we use every day that are rooted in ableism," Thompson said. These include words like "crazy," "dumb," or "stupid," which she said are used in ways that are derogatory to people with certain disabilities. Instead, use substitutions for those words.

... See what your school or workplace is doing.  According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics,  19.3 percent of people with a disability were employed  in 2019 compared to 66.3 percent of those reporting to not have a disability — though it's unclear how "disability" was defined here. Thompson said to look into who your company is hiring and who on your staff are visibly disabled. And for those who are visibly disabled and for those who are not visibly disabled, "what is the culture around people needing support, needing reasonable accommodation? If you do certain activities, what activities may unintentionally ostracize people?"

. ... (click below to read more)
Announcements from our network:
#ADA30 Virtual Summit

This week is the RespectAbility Virtual Summit honoring the 30th Anniversary of the ADA. Registration is free and all sessions are ASL interpreted. Sessions continue through Friday, 7/31. The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion has been hosting watch parties of some of the RespectAbility Summit sessions on Facebook Live. Follow them on Facebook to learn more.


RespectAbility logo
Image of Health Advocacy Summit banner with date and time
Health Advocacy Summit

The Health Advocacy Summit (HAS) is a daylong, no cost advocacy event for young adults (between 13 and 30) living with chronic and rare diseases. This year's Summit will be held virtually on August 8 from 11 am - 9 pm ET. Summit topics include "Navigating College and the Workplace with a Chronic Illness," "Intersecting Identities and Minority Health," "Chronic Illness and Entrepreneurship," and more.


Don't miss our new article!

In last week's newsletter, we featured our new ecological, community-centered model of anti-racist development that we call the "Justice T.R.E.E.E." This article provides some practical tips for how individuals can contribute to the work of racial equity.